Risa Harman to perform

New York City Opera Soprano Risa Harman, accompanied by Pianist Richard Mercier, will perform at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Max Noah Recital Hall in Porter Hall at Georgia College & State University. The performance is part of the “Our World of Music” series sponsored by the department of music and theatre.
Acclaimed for her uncanny ability to capture the essence of a text and to transport an audience to heights of joy, sorrow and laughter through her expressive singing, Harman has prepared a program of jewels from the wealth of classical song repertoire, including music by Franz Schubert, Antonin Dvorak, Gioachino Rossini, Hugo Wolf and Fernando Obradors.
“Risa Harman is an exciting, talented soprano from New York City who excites audiences wherever she goes with her lovely voice and engaging performance style,” Richard Mercier, assistant professor of music theatre said. “Her performances are an example of the best classical vocal recitals in the world today, and this recital received an enthusiastic standing ovation three weeks ago in Naples, Florida.”
Harman toured North America with the New York City Opera National Company, and during the 1997-98 season she joined the roster of the New York City Opera. She regularly collaborates with the prestigious New York Festival of Song, appearing in their 10th Anniversary Gala at the 92nd Street Y and at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in a concert featuring her performance in the original version of “Zerbinetta’s Aria” from Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos.”
During the 2003-04 season, Harman continues her collaboration with the New York City Opera Education Outreach, singing Norina in “Don Pasquale.” She creates the role of Electric Shock in the world premiere of the new children’s opera “Blackout” by Roberto Scarcella and returns to the Bay View Music Festival as artist-in-residence.
Her international credits include the Italian Festivals Da Bach a Bartok and Musica nei Chiostri. In recital, Ms. Harman has concertized throughout the Northeastern United States, Sweden and Austria where she earned a Diploma with Distinction from the Franz Schubert Institute. She has several operatic world premieres to her credit, including creating the roles of the Fair Witch in “The Witch Boy” by Tim Lloyd and Louise in William Schuman’s “A Question of Taste for Glimmerglass Opera,” a portrayal The Wall Street Journal called “exciting.”
“This is a first class performance of songs in several languages, including English, by an outstanding singing actress. Her story-telling ability will draw the listener into many moods and musical styles from several different countries,” Mercier said.
Mercier will be accompanying Harman on stage. He expects both the students and Harman to really enjoy one another.
“Ms. Harman can expect the students to journey with her into the musical worlds of other times and cultures as they travel through the music of Italy, Spain, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria and finally the United States,” Mercier said.
Mercier has performed extensively throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe with singers and instrumentalists, and he has performed in recitals with Harman regularly for several years.
During the summer of 1985 the pair attended the Franz Schubert Institute (Vienna, Austria) where they studied German Lieder with some of the most important singers and pianists of the post WWII music scene and earned a Cum Lauda Certificate for their performances. Mercier has also served as assistant conductor at Central City Opera (Colorado) and the Opera Theater of Connecticut, as freelance accompanist/coach in New York City and as minister of music/organist in churches in Connecticut and New York City.
Although Mercier really enjoys Harman’s music, he really can’t say which of her songs he likes the best.
“The best part of Ms. Harman’s music is her personal involvement in each song whether it be happy, sad, dramatic or funny,” Mercier said. “Risa has chosen her musical selections carefully to create a complete and satisfying evening of musical entertainment. Ms. Harman has been acclaimed for her performances in the United States and Europe and continues to win new fans wherever she performs. Each recital by Risa Harman is a memorable event.”
General admission is $6; $3 for senior citizens, non-GC&SU students, GC&SU faculty and staff; $1 for GC&SU students with a valid ID. For more information, contact the GC&SU department of music and theatre, (478) 445-4226.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Jan 30 2004. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry